Tips & Strategies (9)

Usually I like to play with at least 5 people in Shadow Hunters, but in a 4 player setting, even though the recommended is 2 shadows and 2 hunters we prefer to play with 1 hunter, 1 shadow and 2 neutrals. It keeps the mystery lively.

In the base set, there is one hermit card that deals two damage to a Shadow. This is the only hermit card that deals two damage, so if you’re watching for it and see another player take two damage from a hermit card, you know they are a Shadow without having to give them any other cards. The expansion adds a second hermit card that deals two damage (to characters with more than 12 HP), so this tip applies only to the base game.

One way of getting around the slow deduction time with hermit cards and waiting to attack is just to reveal yourself or state out loud your team, threaten an attack and see what response you get. This can be done with a direct attack, and also with cards that do damage, Weird Woods, and Frank & George’s special ability. This is a way to read players (like in the game Werewolfe or Mafia) and maybe learn more quickly than waiting for others to attack after learning from hermit cards.

An extreme example is with someone playing Frank and the first turn revealing his character. He would then threaten to use his once per game ability on someone unless they revealed their character to be a fellow hunter or neutral. This worked ok for him and he did damage a character that turned out to be a shadow, but then he became an easy target for all shadows and Charles. It was a surprisingly fast way to identify who almost all the team characters were and I don’t recommend doing it the first turn.

The best card to do this with is First Aid from the white deck. Early on you can give up to 7 points of damage. It’s worth outing yourself to best apply this to the correct team.

Again, this strategy is only for a hunter or shadow character who wants a faster game.

While most players don’t like being the Unknown, it can be used to your advantage especially if you can get hunters or neutrals to attack other hunters instead of you or your other shadow team members.

Most players play the Unknown as just a way to prevent them from taking damage from hermit cards – this is much less useful than fooling them into attacking their own teammates!

The probability is that most people who give you a hermit card are not shadow characters, so it’s best to make them think you’re either a hunter (preferred) or a neutral. Since the Vampire and Werewolfe are more powerful when revealed, you’ll likely know more quickly who your team is so don’t lie to them even if it means you take some damage.

You also have to keep track of who you reported what to so you can be consistent with them (or those you aren’t will quickly know you’re the Unknown). If you play with a group or player that likes to announce what they learned from the hermit cards, this becomes very tricky and in this case, just prevent yourself from getting damage each time. You’ll give yourself away, but you won’t suffer for it as your lower HP value makes every bit help.

Also remember that you can lie to hermit cards even if you’re revealed!

Daniel has a tough win condition – be the first dead! Early on you can act indifferent to the game and just attack everyone. You can argue that you’re making it a shorter game by adding damage to everyone until you know who people are.

If you have a choice of cards to choose from, always pick black. Black has many more cards that do damage to you and someone else. In fact this is a great way to take yourself out when other players won’t attack you for fear of you being Daniel.

Lastly, if someone outs you as Daniel or if you feel you don’t have a chance of your win condition, be sure to help the hunters out as much as possible as its good to plan ahead for your 2nd win condition.

A couple of years ago, members of my particular group decided to create custom cards using their fellow group members as the characters and giving them all new special abilities. While some cards become invalidated (like the ones that call out characters by name), it brings a new level to the game if you’re already familiar with the characters, their abilities, and how members of your crew play these characters.

Suggestions would be Necromancer/Zombie (Shadow; can resurrect a dead player as a Shadow with 5 HP), Traitor (Hunter; once per game can switch from being a Hunter to a Shadow), and Parasite (Shadow; can latch on to another character and will receive any healing or damage that character receives).

If you draw the Werewolf, one viable strategy is to reveal as soon as you’re comfortable. Sure, all the Hunters will know who you are, but they’ll also know you’ll counter attack them if they attack you. This is especially viable if you have the Fortune Brooch to protect you from the Weird Woods.

When playing with one or more players I’ve found it easiest to take out the Unknown and Daniel cards. Prevents confusion with playing with Unknown when trying to teach the game and a short game with Daniel in play.